Before I got engaged my friend said to me, just you wait, as soon as you have a ring on your finger you will be wedding blogging. I was like nahhhh, don’t think so. Yet here I am. I’ve got the wedding itch. I’m now in the wedding planning zone.
First things first, find a venue. Easy right? Nope. Not when you are on a budget. If I had £20,000 to spend on a venue then I’m sure I’d have one by now, because having the £££ gives you a lot more choice.
But the truth is I just don’t want to spend thousands upon thousands of my hard earned savings on one day. Yes, I still want my fairytale wedding, but not one that’s going to put me in loads of debt. So that means finding a budget wedding venue.
When you are on a budget, you have to get creative. Think outside the box (or building) so to speak. Don’t picture a fancy hotel or a castle of dreams, consider how you can turn a slightly less extravagant and grand venue into an epic masterpiece. After searching for hours on end, I have some handy tips to share with you.
If you want to find a venue that doesn’t blow your budget, then consider my advice below.
Look for places that aren’t advertised as wedding venues
Some of the better value and perhaps more unusual venues don’t even advertise themselves as venues. But, if you call up, you just might find they are open to holding a wedding reception. What’s great about these venues is that not many weddings will have taken place there, which makes them even more unique and appealing.
Check out village hall weddings on Pinterest
Holy gorgeousness. Have you seen how adorable the village weddings are on Pinterest? When you view a village hall, it’s hard to imagine what it could look like when it’s done up all pretty. This gives you a pretty good idea, so get pinning, and you may find the perfect budget village hall wedding venue.
Swap a three-course gourmet meal for afternoon tea or a buffet
You don’t have to serve up a three-course gourmet meal to your guests don’t you know! You can still serve them something scrummy, you just have to put a bit of thought into it.
An afternoon tea can be totally delicious, and you can tailor it to the time of year. For example, have turkey and cranberry sandwiches for a festive wedding.
Don’t rule out cosy pubs as potential venues
Pubs can make wonderful venues. Many have a venue room attached such as a barn or larger function room, and some will let you have a marquee outside to cater for bigger numbers. Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than a good old traditional pub meal, your guests will love it!
Consider an off-peak wedding
Venue prices literally double in the summer. So, if you are on a budget, consider whether you could swap sunshine for a wintry wedding and get so much more for your money. Plus, you can often get even more of a discount if you have a weekday wedding, especially Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Cut down your numbers
I know, it’s impossible. You want everyone there on your big day, but you really have to consider how important each person is and whether they really are a good friend. Cut down your numbers and you can cut your budget by at least a third.
Most places seem to do packages for around 50 people, so that’s a sensible number to aim for. If you have more than this you will have to add it onto the price (with per person costs ranging from £30 to £150).
Look for all-inclusive packages with added extras
Some all-inclusive packages come with handy added extras that might make going with a particular venue over another worthwhile. So look in the fine print. For example, some venues offer a DJ and master of ceremony included in their price.
Consider a venue that doesn’t include catering
Another option is to find a low budget affordable venue (such as a village hall), that doesn’t insist on you using their caterers. If food is important to you then you can get a cheaper venue and spend more on food.
